Find repeated ideas or themes in the passage. (Colossians 3:5-11)
Look for commands in the passage? (Colossians 3:5-11)
What are the earthly practices listed in verses 5 and 8-9, that the Colossians were told to put to death or put away? (Colossians 3:5, 8-9)
What reason is given for the need to put to death these things, and what is the consequence? (Colossians 3:5-6)
Observe the verb tense in verse 7. What does it signify? (Colossians 3:7)
Observe contrasts in the passage. (Colossians 3:9-11)
According to Colossians 3:9, what is the basis for the command to stop lying to one another?
According to Colossians 3:10, What is the new self being renewed in?
What do we learn about God in this passage (Colossians 3:5-11)
INTERPRETATION
What does it mean?
Paul states that believers have already died with Christ (Col 3:3). In this context, what does the command to "Put to death" (v. 5) mean in the daily life of a believer? (Colossians 3:5)
How does keeping alive the desire for earthly things become equivalent to idolatry? (Colossians 3:5)
What reasons does Paul give in Colossians 3:6-10 to show that practicing the listed sins in V;5 & 8-9 is inconsistent with the Christian life? How should it change us?
In verses 9-10, what is the meaning of "putting off the old self" and "putting on the new self"? (Colossians 3:9-10)
What kind of knowledge is Paul referring to in V;10, and what does it mean to be renewed "after the image of its creator"?
What does the list of contrasts made by Paul in Colossians 3:11 signify? In the context of these contrasts, what is the significance of the statement "Christ is all, and in all?
APPLICATION
What will I do?
Reviewing the list of sins in verses 5 and 8: How should we respond?
Verse 9 commands us not to lie to one another. How can a commitment to honesty strengthenyour character and your daily walk?
Does your life reflect Christian conversion by believing in the Gospel, repentance from sin, and putting on the new self?
Since renewal and transformation comes by the knowledge of our creator (V:10), what specific steps or changes can you make to get to know him more through the study of the Word of God and prayer?
How does the truth of verse 11 ("Christ is all, and in all") influence your interactions and relationships with fellow believers who may be very different from you?
